Curtail missile programme, US urges North Korea

8220;It8217;s hard to anticipate what progress, if any, will be possible in the next round,8221; he said, adding that the talks would resume before the end of the year. 8220;The choice really is up to them.8221;

If North Korea engages 8220;in certain troublesome activities, this would have very negative consequences,8221; he said, noting that if Pyongyang halted its missile programme Washington would likely ease economicsanctions.

Sustained missile activities 8220;will destroy support in the United States and elsewhere 8230; for cooperative activities,8221; he said, alluding partly to anger among US legislators at a policy they view as far too indulgent toward North Korea.

The official ruled out North Korea8217;s longstanding request for 500 million annual compensation in exchange for which the starving Stalinist country would a gree to halt its export of missile technology. 8220;We don8217;t think that8217;s appropriate,8221; he said.